The report confirms reports from Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), both of whom serve on the Judiciary Committee, about Comey’s advanced draft.

By NTK Staff | 10.17.2017 @1:00pm

Former FBI Director James Comey drafted a statement regarding Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server as secretary of state months before the bureau interviewed Clinton, according to documents released by the FBI Monday.

The records show that on May 2, 2016, Comey emailed Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, general counsel James Baker and chief of staff and senior counselor James Rybicki. The subject of the email was “midyear exam,” and though the email says its contents are unclassified, the body of the email is redacted in the release.

On Monday, the bureau also released a response to the May 2 email. … In the email, which is marked “unclassified,” Rybicki wrote, “Please send me any comments on this statement so we may roll into a master doc for discussion with the Director at a future date. Thanks, Jim.”

The FBI titled the release “Drafts of Director Comey’s July 5, 2016 Statement Regarding Email Server Investigation.” That title refers to a press conference Comey held in which he said the bureau had completed its investigation into Clinton’s use of a personal email system and that it would not be recommending that the Department of Justice pursue charges, though Clinton had been “careless.” The bureau interviewed Clinton on July 2, 2016.

Sens. Chuck Grassley and Lindsey Graham, both of whom serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote a letter to incoming FBI Director Christopher Wray last August in which they divulge this previously unknown information.

The law enforcement community is divided on Comey’s actions, with some arguing it was inappropriate to jump to conclusions before interviewing Clinton and others arguing a final decision was not made until Clinton was interviewed.